


The Kids Aren’t Alright

by Gray_Skies_Rising



Series: Living in the Dawn and Dusk [10]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, Angst, Dark Batfamily (DCU), Dick Grayson is a Talon, Drinking, Drinking to Cope, Gen, Gore, Hurt, Just because Dicks immortal doesn’t mean he can’t die, Temporary Character Death, These Boys Aren’t Okay, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, very little comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:13:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26590438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gray_Skies_Rising/pseuds/Gray_Skies_Rising
Summary: Bruce is pretty sure he's drunk.Bruce never gets tipsy at galas, let alone drunk, but he lets himself this once.He hopes someone notices and cuts him off soon.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne, Tim Drake & Damian Wayne, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson
Series: Living in the Dawn and Dusk [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1735045
Comments: 6
Kudos: 178





	The Kids Aren’t Alright

**Author's Note:**

> Tw: description of gore, drinking, temporary character death
> 
> Please tell me if I missed any!

Galas were awful, Tim decided.

He already knew that, of course, he’s had the pleasure of coming to enough since coming into the Wayne household to have solidified that fact.

So, yes, galas were awful, but after everything that had happened last night… 

_ “GRAYSON!” Damian had called out, completely forgetting protocol. _

_ Nobody else called out, not that that stopped the sharp inhales or aborted movements. They knew it wouldn’t help. _

“And how's Timothy doing tonight?”

Vicki Vale’s question rang in his head and his smile became just a tiny bit more fake.

Not that anyone noticed.

_ Tim cradled Damian tightly as Bruce pulled Dick off the spike. _

_ Damian screamed and struggled against him, never pulling out any of the weapons that would be deadly in close contact. _

_ Tim just holds his little brother closer even as the younger boys screams make his ears ring. _

Tim looks across the hall and spies Damian, murderous scowl and all.

The only thing that seemed to keep the kid from biting off the fingers that pinched his cheeks was Dick’s hand at the small of his back. Reminding him that Dick was there. Reminding him that Dick was alive.

“I’m doing wonderfully, Ms. Vale!” He lies through gritted teeth.

_ Damian used to seeing his family injured. It came with the job. _

_ But this was different. _

_ Everyone’s survived the injuries they sustained. It was nothing like this.  _

_ Grayson’s chest was… gone. It was nothing but empty air as his organs trailed out of the place his diaphragm use to be. _

_ Damian thinks that the crack of Garyson’s spine breaking will echo in his dreams forever. _

Reporters from all across the country are at the gala, and every single one seems to notice the dark cloud that hangs over all of the Waynes.

They circle like sharks, each one looking for the latest scoop. 

_ Dick thinks he would be used to dieing by now, but it’s different every time. _

_ A bullet to the head, beaten by a baseball bat, burning, freezing, just to name a few. Each one makes his body shut down in a different way. _

_ Now, with the wooden spike numbly pricing through his torso and Damian’s call ringing in his ears, he remembered why some hurt more than others. _

_ When the side of his head collides with the spike and he feels at least three of his teeth shatter, Dick hopes someone at least tried to cover Damians eyes. _

Clark Kent can be a vicious reporter when he wants to be.

It seems that the mood hanging over the Waynes was igniting that desire. It probably doesn’t help that Mr. Kent suspects that the Wayne family runs in the same circles as Lex Luther.

When the questions turn from mildly invasive to inquiries about Dick’s thoughts on the recent drug bust and the ‘undefinable blood like substance’ that covered the spiked pit that was discovered in the warehouse, he sends Damian to find Cass.

Dick smiles coldly at the reporter, he’s sure the man can hear his teeth mending themselves, and asks about his latest Superman article.

_ His eldest sons mouth still moves as if to tell an ill timed joke, but without his lungs, no sound comes out except for the occasional click of his tongue. _

_ Just because Bruce knows he'll never have to bury Dick doesn't make these moments any easier to deal with. In fact, it probably makes them harder. _

Bruce is pretty sure he's drunk.

Bruce never gets tipsy at galas, let alone drunk, but he lets himself this once.

He hopes someone notices and cuts him off soon.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts? Questions? Ideas for more stories? Just want to talk?  
> Leave a comment!


End file.
